Combination night-light and toilet article holder and sterilizer



Nov. 21, 1967 D. G. ELLIS COMBINATION NIGHT-LIGHT AND TOILET ARTICLE HOLDER AND STERILIZER Filed Dec. 21, 1964 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY g DOUGLA G. ELLIS B United States Patent 3,353,905 COMBINATIGN NIGHT-LIGHT AND TOILET ARTIQLE HGLDER AND STERILIZER Douglas G. Ellis, 7246 N. Newell Ave., Portiaud, Oreg. 97203 Fiied Dec. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 419,813 1 Claim. (Cl. 21102) This invention relates to a new and novel combination night-light and toilet article holder and sterilizer.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a novel combination of structure which incorporates means for conveniently holding one or more toothbrushes as well as other toilet articles and means for sterilizing the toilet articles during the time that they are not in use.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a holder for toilet articles in which is incorporated a fluorescent and sterilizing light bulb, and including compartments for holding toothbrushes under the light bulb so that ultra violet sterilizing can be achieved.

Another object is to provide a holder for toothbrushes in which is incorporated sterilizing means and including a novel arrangement of toothbrush receiving pockets wherein the said toothbrushes are readily positioned for sterilization and at the same time are conveniently placed in and removed from the holder.

Still another object is to provide a toothbrush holder having sterilizing light means therein which in addition to serving a sterilizing function also serves to provide a nightlight for the room in which the holder is contained.

Additional objects will become apparent from the following specification and claim, considered together with the accompanying drawings, wherein the numerals of reference indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present cornbination night-light and toilet article holder and sterilizer;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now in particular to the drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holder has a pair of side walls or plates which may be of the shape shown comprising a widened rectangular lower portion and a narrow or tapered upper portion rounded at the upper end 12. The holder has a back wall 14 and a bottom wall 16. In a preferred construction, the back Wall 14 is curved forwardly at its upper end and projects forwardly over the curved upper ends 12 of the side plates 10 to form a top wall 18. As will be seen hereinafter, the

portion 18 serves as a shield or diffusing element for light means in the holder.

The holder has one or more compartments 20 leading from front to rear at the lower end thereof. These compartments are formed by upright wall portions 22 integral with the bottom wall 16 and interconnected at their top by a horizontal shelf or plate 24. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the wall portions 22 project fully from front to rear of the holder, and the shelf 24 projects from the front end but terminates short of the rear wall 14, whereby to form rear openings 26 between the interior of the holder and the compartments 20. Compartments 20 are of selected dimension to freely receive the bristle end of toothbrushes 28 and are of sufiicient length such that the center of gravity of the toothbrushes will be disposed inwardly from the front edge. The compartments, however, are preferably of a length which will permit the handle end of the toothbrush to project a certain extent for easy grasping and removal of the toothbrush therefrom.

Mounted on one of the side walls 10 is a plug-in socket 30 for a fluorescent and sterilizing light bulb 32. When referring to a fluorescent and sterilizing bulb herein, it is meant that a mercury vapor type bulb is interiorly partially coated with chemicals which when fired transmit ultra violet rays outwardly through an uncoated portion of the bulb and visible light through the coated portion. Such rays Would be trapped within the usual lighting tube by the glass material of the bulb or by coatings thereon, and for the purpose of the present invention, it is desirable that the bulb glass be quartz glass or the like and that the bulb 32 have an uncoated longitudinal strip 34, FIG- URE 3. This uncoated strip is arranged such that it is adapted to be disposed on the lower surface of the bulb when the latter is plugged in whereby to direct ultraviolet rays into the area of the bristle end of the toothbrushes to sterilize the same, the top openings 26 in the compartments 20 permitting ready migration of the ultraviolet rays. Thus, the toothbrushes are sterilized during their period of non-use.

Shelf 24 serves as a support for a drinking glass or the like, not shown. When such a glass is supported on the shelf, it also will be within the influence of ultraviolet rays being transmitted by the bulb 32. Thus, a drinking glass is also sterilized.

In addition to serving as a toothbrush holder and sterilizer therefor, as well as a sterilizer for a drinking glass, the present holder also serves as a night light for the bathroom. That is, the bulb 32 is visible at night and, if desired, emits sufficient light to partially light up the room. Therefore the present holder serves a dual function. In a preferred arrangement the curved or top wall 18 of the holder is translucent or frosted or is of other construction such as to diffuse and therefore soften the light of the bulb. FIGURE 3 illustrates, by the numeral 36, the frosted construction of the wall 18.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the sub-joined claim. For example, the holder 10 may be combined with other structures such as with a medicine cabinet or other type cabinet and may serve as a combination sterilizer for toothbrushes and light producing member for the cabinet. Although the invention is illustrated herein as a holder and sterilizer for toothbrushes, it could be applicable for other articles such as combs, hairbrushes, and the like. The wattage of bulb 32 may vary, but it has been found that a 1 to 6-watt bulb accomplishes the desired functions of sterilization and lighting.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A combination night-light and toilet article holder and sterilizer comprising a pair of side walls, a bottom wall, a back wall, at least one upstanding partition projecting upwardly from said bottom wall and extending from front to rear for forming toilet article receiving compartments, said compartments being open at the front for insertion and removal of toilet articles from the front of said holder, a horizontal imperforate plate in said holder at the upper end of said partition for forming a shelf for a container to be seated thereon and sterilized, said plate extending rearwardly from the front of the holder and terminating short of the back wall to form a rear top opening in said compartments, a light bulb supported at the upper end of said holder above said horizontal shelf, a light bulb socket in said holder for supporting said light bulb, said bulb comprising a coated, sterilizing-type bulb, a portion of the bulb which is directed downwardly being uncoated whereby to direct sterilizing rays towards said shelf and said rear openings in said compartments, and a curved shield extending partly around said light bulb over.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,961,700 6/ 1934 Moehler 21102 2,212,330 8/ 1940 Thomas. 2,235,296 3/ 1941 Muncheryan. 2,347,307 4/ 1944 Whitman 2505 1 2,407,379 9/ 1946 Morehouse. 2,554,156 5/ 1951 Rosenthal.

v 2,587,131 2/ 1952 Ficken 21-83 X 4 2,592,131 4/1952 Farrar 21-102 X 3,114,038 12/ 1963 Meader 25051 FOREIGN PATENTS 452,751 11/1948 Canada. 1,181,910 1/1959 France. 1,183,978 2/1959 France. 469,009 2/1952 Italy.

JOSEPH SCOVRONEK, Acting Primaly Examiner.

O MORRIS O. VJOLK, Examiner.

J. T. ZATARGA, Assistant Examiner. 

